Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 1993. Defeated at general elections 1998. Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 4.5.2000 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. D Brownhill (resigned). and 2001. Retired with the expiration of term 2008.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 27.8.2002 to 11.8.2005.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 8.2.2007 to 30.6.2008.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary for Trade from 6.7.2005 to 27.1.2006.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence from 27.1.2006 to 30.1.2007.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Intelligence Services served from 28.6.2001 to 27.8.2001
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 1.7.1996 to 30.6.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 9.5.2000 to 16.8.2005; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 8.2.2007 to 30.6.2008; Treaties served from 11.3.2008 to 30.6.2008
• Joint Statutory: Australian Security Intelligence Organization served from 31.5.1996 to 30.6.1999; Australian Security Intelligence Organization served from 11.5.2000 to 8.10.2001; ASIO, ASIS and DSD served from 14.2.2002 to 31.8.2004; Intelligence and Security served from 29.11.2004 to 10.8.2005; Intelligence and Security served from 16.8.2007 to 17.10.2007
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group E served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 8.2.1994; Estimates Group E served from 9.2.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs served from 18.8.1993 to 9.10.1994; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 10.10.1994 to 9.11.1998; Employment, Education and Training: References served as Substitute member from 12.7.1996 to 12.8.1996; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.9.1996 to 16.9.1996; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 19.9.1996 to 19.9.1996; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 10.11.1997 to 10.11.1997; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Chair from 11.11.1997 to 30.6.1999; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: References served as Substitute member from 12.3.1999 to 12.3.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 9.5.2000 to 10.5.2000; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 9.5.2000 to 11.8.2005; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Chair from 11.5.2000 to 11.8.2005; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.10.2000 to 24.10.2000; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 13.10.2000 to 24.10.2000; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.8.2003 to 28.8.2003; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 8.2.2007 to 23.3.2007; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 23.3.2007 to 30.6.2008
• Senate Select: Certain Aspects of Foreign Ownership Decisions in relation to the Print Media served from 14.12.1993 to 30.3.1995; Unresolved Whistleblower Cases served from 1.12.1994 to 26.10.1995; Aircraft Noise in Sydney served from 23.3.1995 to 30.11.1995; Uranium Mining and Milling served from 8.5.1996 to 15.5.1997; Lucas Heights Reactor served from 17.8.2000 to 23.5.2001
• Senate Standing: Publications served from 18.8.1993 to 26.6.1996; Scrutiny of Bills served from 8.5.1996 to 1.7.1996; Publications served as Chair from 27.6.1996 to 29.6.1999; Publications served from 30.6.1999 to 11.2.2002

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary delegation member to France and Spain from September to October 1995.
• Delegate to the 43rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference, Mauritius, September 1997.
• Attended official meetings in South Africa, September 1997.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Papua New Guinea, March 1999.
• Official observer to the general elections, Indonesia, June 1999.
• Official observer to the general elections, Zimbabwe, June 2000.
• Parliamentary delegation member to East Timor, February 2001.
• Delegate to ANZAC Day commemorations, Turkey, April 2001.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Thailand and Cambodia, July 2001.
• Parliamentary delegation member to New Zealand, April 2003.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, May 2003.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Timor-Leste, July 2003.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Mexico, September 2003.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Syria, Lebanon and Israel, November 2003.
• Attended official meetings in Vietnam, April 2004.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Taiwan, May 2004.
• Delegate to ANZAC Day commemorations, Thailand, April 2005.
• Delegate to the Australia-Fiji Business Forum, Fiji, October 2005.
• Attended official meetings in Turkey and Oman, November 2005.
• Attended official meetings in the Solomon Islands, May 2006.
• Delegate to the ADF Parliamentary Program, the USA, July 2006.
• Attended official meetings in the Solomon Islands, December 2006.
• Parliamentary delegation member to India and the Philippines from September to October 2007.

Parliamentary party positions

• The Nationals. Served: 11.10.2003 to 30.06.2008
• National Party of Australia. Served: 01.07.1993 to 30.06.1999, 04.05.2000 to 11.10.2003
• Deputy Leader of The Nationals in the Senate from 9.8.2005 to 7.2.2007.

Party positions

• Member of the National Party from 1978.
• Member of the National Party Central Council from 1984.

Personal

• Born: 10.5.1954, Quirindi, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• LLB (University of Sydney).
• Wool and beef producer.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 25.1.2021.